1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods, systems, and apparatuses for capturing and/or directing heat. Embodiments of the present invention are particularly useful for devices such as ovens, stoves, furnaces, heaters and/or fireplaces.
2. Background
Known stoves, heaters, ovens and the like typically allow heat to flow from the heat source and escape out through a chimney with little and/or no restriction to the flow of the heated air. Some known devices employ metal fins which causes the heated air to flow back and forth in a pattern around the fins. Known systems, however, do not employ fins which slope downward and which are sealed at their upper end. Such known systems thus permit the heated air to be partially directed by the fins, but permit the heated and rising air to easily continue to rise and exit out of the chimney.
For heaters, stoves, and the like, heat which exits out of the chimney is wasted and thus reduces the efficiency of the firebox. Known systems which employ fins and baffles attempt to increase the surface area of contact with the heated air in an attempt to permit more conduction of heat from the inside of the firebox to the outside of the firebox. Such systems, however, do not actually trap the rising heated air against the side of the firebox as is taught by the present invention. There is thus a present need for a method and apparatus which increases the efficiency of ovens, stoves, furnaces, heaters, fireplaces and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,312, to Berger, teaches a radiant baffle assembly. That assembly, however, does not provide downwardly-depending fins. Accordingly, Berger is not capable of trapping rising hot air such that the hot air must cool and descend before it can exit through a chimney.
U.S. Pat. No. 241,720 to Ricketts teaches a fireplace which has a plurality of deflectors. However, Rickets teaches that the deflectors are arranged such that at least some of the hot air from the fireplace can rise past the front of the fireplace and exit through a chimney without ever encountering any deflectors. Further, Rickets places the deflectors at the back of the fireplace and puts the chimney directly above them. In this configuration, any additional heat that may be absorbed due to the deflectors simply heats the air on the back side of the radiator and air then rises and is lost through the chimney. Accordingly, Ricketts deflectors do not increase the heat transfer of the fireplace and thus reduces the temperature of the exhaust gas that exits the fireplace.